Team:Aachen/Collaborations/Neanderlab

From 2014.igem.org

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(School Project at the Neanderlab)
(School Project at the Neanderlab)
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= School Project at the Neanderlab =
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= School Project at the NEAnderLab =
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The Neanderlab is a laboratory in Hilden, where classes from schools in the region can do a range of experiments and workshops from soldering to PCR.
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The [http://www.zdi-neanderlab.de/ NEAnderLab]is a laboratory in Hilden where classes from schools in the region can do a range of experiments and workshops, from soldering to PCR.
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As a part of our initiative to spark interest for (synthetic) biology and DIY hardware in the young generation, we cooperated with the ''Gymnasium am Neandertal'' to bring a grade 11 biology standard level class into the lab.
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As a part of our initiative to spark interest for (synthetic) biology and DIY hardware in the young generation, we cooperated with the high school ''Gymnasium am Neandertal'' to bring a grade 11 biology standard level class into the lab.
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The students carried out multiple experiments in context of our iGEM project. During the day, the students collected samples from an ''E.coli'' TB culture every 30 minutes to observe the exponential growth phase. Optical density was measured with our own DIY photometer. Overall, the students did a good job of treating their bacterial culture well, as shown in Fig. 2.
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{{Team:Aachen/Figure|Aachen_14-09-24_Neanderlab_curves.png|title=Figure 1|subtitle=Growth profiles of E. coli measured by the students|width=400px}}
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In between the growth curve measurements, we introduced the students to the iGEM competition and synthetic biology. Of course, our team members also explained the bacterial growth properties and how we can observe the propagation of cells using the photometer. After the sudden fire alarm and evacuation of the building, the rest of the day dealt with different types of "glowing" in nature, including bioluminescence, fluorescence and phosphorescence. We started by explaining the mechanism behind bioluminescence in the context of quorum sensing of ''Vibrio fischeri'' in squid. As another example of glowing organisms we chose ''Pseudomonas fluorescens''. Students plated ''Pseudomonas fluorescens'' onto Pseudomonas-F agar plates containing different concentrations of iron. These type of bacteria produce fluorescing siderophores when iron concentrations are low. After an incubation period of 1 to 2 days, the students should be able to see nice results in form of fluorescing and non-fluorescing bacterial colonies on their plates.
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The students also carried out some experiments from the [http://www.zdi-neanderlab.de/index.php?article_id=26/ NEAnderLab's workshops], such as ''Cold Light of the Deep Sea'', an experiment on chemiluminscence of luminol catalyzed by a copper wire. Playing around with glowing liquids of different colours in the dark was also a lot of fun!
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At the end of the day,  we also answered the students' questions about synthetic biology and the Biology/Biotechnology university programs. As a souvenir, each student got to keep a phosphorescing stone. The students were also asked to fill out an evaluation sheet. The reception of the program was good, especially when considering that the class consisted of mostly students that chose biology because they are required to select one of either chemistry, physics or biology and thought that biology was the easiest one and that there would be no math involved (haha!).  The results of the evaluation were good, and are shown below.
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The students carried out multiple experiments:
 
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* measurement of an E.coli growth curve using our DIY photometer
 
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* plating of ''Pseudomonas fluorescens'' on agar plates with different iron concentrations
 
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* chemiluminescence of luminol, catalyzed by a copper wire (an experiment from the Neanderlabs routine)
 
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In parallel to the experiments, we introduced them to the iGEM competition and synthetic biology. We explained our this year's iGEM project. At the end, we also answered the students' questions about synthetic biology and the Biology/Biotechnology university programs.
 
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{{Team:Aachen/Figure|Aachen_14-09-24_Neanderlab_curves.png|title=Figure 1|subtitle=Growth profiles of E. coli measured by the students|width=400px}}
 
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The reception of the program was good, especially when considering that the class consisted of mostly students that chose biology because they are required to select one of either chemistry, physics or biology and thought that biology was the easiest one and that there would be no math involved (haha!). At the end of the day the students were asked to fill out an evaluation sheet. The results of the evaluation were good, and are shown below.
 
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{{Team:Aachen/Footer}}

Revision as of 12:04, 27 September 2014

School Project at the NEAnderLab

The NEAnderLabis a laboratory in Hilden where classes from schools in the region can do a range of experiments and workshops, from soldering to PCR. As a part of our initiative to spark interest for (synthetic) biology and DIY hardware in the young generation, we cooperated with the high school Gymnasium am Neandertal to bring a grade 11 biology standard level class into the lab.

The students carried out multiple experiments in context of our iGEM project. During the day, the students collected samples from an E.coli TB culture every 30 minutes to observe the exponential growth phase. Optical density was measured with our own DIY photometer. Overall, the students did a good job of treating their bacterial culture well, as shown in Fig. 2.

Aachen 14-09-24 Neanderlab curves.png
Figure 1
Growth profiles of E. coli measured by the students

In between the growth curve measurements, we introduced the students to the iGEM competition and synthetic biology. Of course, our team members also explained the bacterial growth properties and how we can observe the propagation of cells using the photometer. After the sudden fire alarm and evacuation of the building, the rest of the day dealt with different types of "glowing" in nature, including bioluminescence, fluorescence and phosphorescence. We started by explaining the mechanism behind bioluminescence in the context of quorum sensing of Vibrio fischeri in squid. As another example of glowing organisms we chose Pseudomonas fluorescens. Students plated Pseudomonas fluorescens onto Pseudomonas-F agar plates containing different concentrations of iron. These type of bacteria produce fluorescing siderophores when iron concentrations are low. After an incubation period of 1 to 2 days, the students should be able to see nice results in form of fluorescing and non-fluorescing bacterial colonies on their plates.

The students also carried out some experiments from the NEAnderLab's workshops, such as Cold Light of the Deep Sea, an experiment on chemiluminscence of luminol catalyzed by a copper wire. Playing around with glowing liquids of different colours in the dark was also a lot of fun!

At the end of the day, we also answered the students' questions about synthetic biology and the Biology/Biotechnology university programs. As a souvenir, each student got to keep a phosphorescing stone. The students were also asked to fill out an evaluation sheet. The reception of the program was good, especially when considering that the class consisted of mostly students that chose biology because they are required to select one of either chemistry, physics or biology and thought that biology was the easiest one and that there would be no math involved (haha!). The results of the evaluation were good, and are shown below.